Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant relying on generators again after losing external power supply

Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has lost all external electricity supplies for the 27th time since the conflict began, forcing it to rely on emergency diesel generators for reactor cooling and other essential safety functions, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Sunday.

In a statement on US social media platform X, the UN nuclear watchdog said the plant lost its connection to its only remaining external power line, Ferosplavna-1, early Sunday morning.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi warned that the latest outage highlighted the facility's "continued precarious nuclear safety situation."

The agency said the cause and location of the disconnection had not yet been determined.

According to information provided to the IAEA team stationed at the plant, existing fuel reserves are sufficient to operate a limited number of emergency diesel generators for approximately two weeks.

Grossi stressed the importance of restoring the facility's connection to the electricity grid and increasing diesel fuel reserves to ensure continued nuclear safety.